KALAMAZOO (WKZO-AM) — Kalamazoo Public Safety Chief Jeff Hadley has suspended the two officers involved in the death of James Dunigan for one day.
After a review by the Office of Professional Standards, Hadley says they “identified a policy violation relative to prisoner medical attention; specifically the officers should have recognized Dunigan’s condition and sought medical treatment.”
Dunigan had appeared at Bronson Methodist Hospital emergency room complaining of chest pains and received treatment on May 6. He was subsequently discharged, but refused to leave.
Emergency room staff called public safety. When officers arrived, he continued to refuse to leave and was arrested. Dunigan was on his way to jail on an outstanding warrant when he collapsed in the back seat of the police cruiser.
The in-car video shows the two arresting officers stopping to examine Dunigan and they concluded that he was faking it, even though he was foaming at the mouth.
Sheriff Rick Fuller tells us that as soon as Dunigan arrived at the jail, they concluded he needed medical treatment, but by then it was too late. Dunigan died shortly after arriving at the Kalamazoo County Jail.
This resulted in an autopsy and toxicology screen and has since been under investigation and review of the internal affairs division, the medical examiner and the Kalamazoo County Medical Control Authority.
Hadley said the post-mortem and autopsy revealed that Dunigan actually died from a combination of liver failure, chronic heart disease, cocaine and fentanyl abuse, diabetes and from intoxication from a combination of painkillers, anti-histamines, stimulants and an anti-seizure drug — some of which may have been administered at the hospital.
Hadley is asking the medical control authority to help them do an after-action review, an analysis of protocol and to make recommendations to improve training and best practices.
The death of Dunigan has been a source of considerable tension between the minority community and public safety. It has also been an issue of concern for some Kalamazoo city commissioners, who expressed frustration at their last meeting that it has been well over three months with no resolution.
WKZO news has sent an inquiry to Bronson Methodist Hospital to find out why they discharged Dunigan when he was in such poor condition and had obviously expressed the opinion that he was not ready to leave. We would also like to know whether or not they have also engaged in an after-action review.
